Church chorister's secret life as spy who parachuted into Nazi Europe disguised as NUN revealed

Neighbours had no idea about Margaret Spencer's incredible war time service until shortly before her death aged 94

Remarkable: Margaret died with a bullet still lodged in her back after being shot by a Nazi sniper

The remarkable story of a wartime spy who risked her life to save countless others has finally emerged after her death aged 94.

Little did neighbours suspect that grey-haired Margaret Spencer – a leading figure in her local Women’s Institute and an enthusiastic church chorister – once parachuted behind enemy lines in Nazi Europe dressed as a nun.

She spoke for the first time about her secret role in an interview with her local newspaper shortly before her death.

Twice-wed Margaret, the daughter of a naval gunnery instructor, told how she was recruited into the Secret Intelligence Service, aged just 20, after being introduced by a family member.

She said she was given a Colt 45 revolver and was tasked with rounding up German spies and suspected communists in ­Eastbourne, East Sussex, while working as a nurse.

Margaret, of Pevensey, East Sussex, revealed: “We all hated traitors. A German spy was serving his country as we were serving ours, but a traitor I could shoot without a second thought.”

She said the parachute incident came about when she was involved in operations in occupied Europe to help bring back British agents.

During one of her daring missions she was captured by the brutal Gestapo. She was also shot by a German sniper and, remarkably, lived the rest of her life with the bullet lodged in her back.

Following the end of war, Margaret was forced to keep her experiences secret.

She retired from the service in 1977 when she handed back her pistol.

It wasn’t until she was 75 – in 1995 – that she was finally absolved from the Official Secrets Act.

Only then she could tell her family about her past.

“It was the loneliest job in the world,” she said. “You can talk to no one and I mean no one. Secrecy meant just that – not even your nearest and dearest. There were no medals or thanks for the men and women of the shadows, but what we did was vital to our country and our duty.”

Yesterday Margaret’s daughter Diana Milne, 68, also of Pevensey, said she was “immensely proud” of her mum.

“My mother was approached by an author who wanted to tell her life story,” she said. “But she always refused to do it. She only ever talked to our local paper and history group about her role.

“She would hate to think of the publicity, and would be worried that it may harm some people who are alive today.”